The UK Government has announced a new award for public servants, who are killed in the line of duty.

The Elizabeth Emblem, which is conferred by His Majesty The King, is a national form of recognition, which will be awarded to the next of kin of individuals have who lost their lives in the course of undertaking eligible public service. It has been agreed that the award is to be extended to eligible applicants in the Crown Dependencies and Devolved Administrations.

The award is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK Armed Forces who have died in action or as a result of a terrorist attack. It should be noted that this recognition will be retrospective from 1948 to recognise historic deaths.

The design of the Emblem incorporates a rosemary wreath, a traditional symbol of remembrance, which surrounds the Tudor Crown. It is inscribed with ‘For A Life Given In Service’, and will have the name of the person for whom it is in memoriam inscribed on the reverse of the Emblem. It will include a pin to allow the award to be worn on clothing by the next of kin of the deceased. 

His Excellency Sir John Lorimer, the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man said ‘I would encourage families of those who have lost their lives in the course of public duty to apply for the Elizabeth Emblem, so that their loves ones can be recognised and commemorated’.

Eligible applicants on the Isle of Man should apply through the Chief of Staff at Government House at Hilary.Leece@gov.im or telephone: 01624 698389.

 

Elizabeth Emblem definition and eligibility

Definition of Public Service

An individual who was employed in a role based on the source of a commission on behalf of, or formally funded by, HM Government or by one of the devolved administrations or by a local authority;

• An individual who does not fit into the above category but who, at the time of death, was working - either in a paid or voluntary capacity - at the behest of an eligible body. This will be any individual who has a formal contract or agreement to work for the body or who has been ordered to provide a service; or
• An individual who was employed as part of emergency services personnel that have been in paid service, retained or in a voluntary capacity, that deals with emergencies either directly or indirectly as part of their conditions of service. For the avoidance of doubt, the emergency services will be defined as: personnel including control room staff and civilians working for the UK's police services, ambulance services and fire and rescue services; as well as people working and volunteering for mountain, cave and water rescue services; and coastguard services.

Criteria:

• Public servants may be drawn from all nationalities;
• An individual's death must be directly attributable to the public service in question. g. the death would not have occurred, or is extremely unlikely to have occurred, if that individual had not been engaged in or identified with their public service at the time of the incident;
• Where the death occurs as a direct result of action being taken in the course of public service;
• Where an individual has been directly targeted as a result of their public service role or action;
• Where an individual is killed as a result of an operational call out, whether routine or emergency, if responding to the call resulted in their death;
• Where an individual dies as a result of acting to assist in an emergency situation for which they were trained, even if formally not on duty at the time;
• The individual must not have been engaging in a criminal act at the time of their death or acting in such a way as to place themselves at additional risk of their life.
• Each case should be looked at individually, and a judgement made accordingly.

 

To apply for an Elizabeth Emblem to recognise the death of an individual in public service on the Isle of Man, please fill out the Elizabeth Emblem application form.